


Oh, when you love it

by Arienhod



Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 20:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17587904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arienhod/pseuds/Arienhod
Summary: In 1591 Matthew found a pair of miniatures hidden in his study in the Old Lodge.





	Oh, when you love it

It was a small thing, fit entirely in his palm, and delicate that he could crush it by closing his fingers around it, possibly even if he wasn't a vampire. But it had no reason to be here.

Tall, Nordic looking vampire appeared at the doorway and looked at him in shock, surprised by his presence like it wasn't his own house. His own study. And then the younger man's eyes landed on the wooden box on the desk, the chain hanging from his hand, and a silent curse escaped his lips.

"Who is she?" Matthew didn't bothered with a greeting, that can come later. Right now he wanted to know who the woman on the miniature was. He didn't have to ask about the second one. He recognized his own reflection, although the very existence of that matching item puzzled him as well. But the priority was the blonde in the unusually intimate looking painting.

Gallowglass couldn't believe his lousy luck. His uncle wasn't supposed to be here, especially in a moment when Pierre wasn't present. Together they would have more luck distracting Matthew and get the precious medallion from his hand and mind. But on his own there was no way of use evading tactics. Not when his uncle demanded an answer right away.

So he tried lying.

But all that accomplished was Matthew clutching the disc tighter.

"She's your future wife!" he finally shouted, before freezing upon realizing he did exactly what he was instructed not to. But there was no way back now.

Matthew froze, his fingers easing their grip, and he lifted his hand to look again at the face that adorned the miniature. A snarl escaped him, before he surprised by saying, "Philippe has gone too far. I will not take part in some arranged marriage scheme. He may be my sire, and I am his knight, but there are some lines that are not to be crossed. So if he believes-"

"It is nothing like that." Gallowglass interrupted him, instantly regretting it. It would have been a good excuse. Let Matthew believe it was an arranged thing, Philippe would most certainly play along and 'change his mind' about the woman, allowing his stop-son to escape this alleged political marriage. But he spoke before thinking, and now his uncle expected an answer.

He prayed to any deity that may be listening, even the Goddess that auntie believed in, that he doesn't ruin things beyond repair.

"You have days that are lost on you in the past year."

"Yes, because of Kit."

"No, because you were displaced in time." his answer resulted in an inpatient look from Matthew, "The woman is a witch. She traveled back in time, and brought along your future self. Since two of you can't exist at once, he momentarily replaced you."

"I don't know what is more absurd, your story or that you tried to convince me I would eventually marry a witch. That I would feel anything but abhor towards one of them."

"She isn't just some witch!" Gallowglass couldn't help but feel protective of the woman that entered his life so unexpectedly and changed it upside down, made him question things he believed were set in stone. But Matthew didn't know all that, and he felt it was his job to educate his uncle, "She is powerful, and quite humble. Generous, and kind, and willing to help. Inquisitive and beautiful."

"You seem to have a lot of nice things to say about her." Matthew growled through clenched teeth, "Is that jealousy I can hear in your voice? Are you in love with the woman you claim is my future wife?" Gallowglass' silence enraged him, making his eyes turn black, before he slammed his nephew into the wall next to the door, "She is mine. I will not let you prevent that future."

"You shoot down the possibility of even feeling anything for a witch, but suddenly you act all possessive of her." it wasn't meant to sound like an accusation, but a simple statement of how his mood changed in an instant, but Matthew still felt like he was punched. He took a step back, before marching out of the study and towards his private quarters.

The miniature still firm in his grasp.

Gallowglass cursed and let the back of his head bump in the wall. It was his fault, he was the one who failed to hide the medallions better. And if that resulted in the future changing his grandfather will not be pleased. He'll skin him alive. Or worse, he'll let Ysabeau do it. Grandmother is a formidable opponent any day, but if his actions, and failure to keep the truth from Matthew, resulted in her grandchild never coming to existence there will be no place on this world where he could hide from her.

* * *

Matthew let the large wooden door slam shut behind him, before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could smell it, the feminine scent that lingered in the air. She was here at some point.

The woman.

The witch.

His wife.

Upon opening his eyes he hoped to see a shadow of her, some remnant of the past that is also the future. But she wasn't sitting in front of the fireplace, and letting the heat fight the chills. And she wasn't sleeping under the thick covers.

Matthew's breath hitched and he moved without thinking until his hands were gripping one of the pillows, and he breathed it in. Willow sap and witch hazel and lady's mantle. And honey. She wasn't just in his home, in his room. She was in his bed. And in the moment he was jealous just like Gallowglass seemed to be. He was jealous of his future self for having her, while he didn't even knew her name.

Fingers opened around the disk he's been gripping, and Matthew was relieved to see he caused it no damage. It was good, for he couldn't bare it if he accidentally ruined it. He would never forgive himself.

Tomorrow he will tell Gallowglass to take both miniatures somewhere else, to hide them where they would be safe, for looking at them every day would be torture. Yet he couldn't imagine them no longer being in his possession in the future. A possessive part of him thought of the second one and enjoyed the thought of his wife carrying with her his image at all times.

He looked at the painting.

In the morning he will give her away.

Tonight he will wonder of her. Of the woman who seems to be as brave as she is beautiful.

She would need to be, if she loved a monster like him.


End file.
